Hey marklids,
I used to own a 60 hellfire and have swapped it for a 60 unibrow. I am very happy with the swap.

This is my take on the differences:

Paddle: v similar when paddling around the line up with the UB a little easier due to the greater volume under the chest and slightly lower nose rocker. The difference is more noticeable when paddling into waves with the UB streaks ahead of the hellfire. Having test ridden a 510 UB I think the 511 UB would paddle about the same as the 60 hellfire around the line up but I felt that the 510 UB paddled into waves better than the 60 hellfire.

Ride: both turn with ease. Don't be fooled by the roundness of the tail on the UB it turns on a dime and climbs up the face really well. As the tails suggest the hellfire is snappier and the UB smoother.

I can see that the transition from a spit (whichi have tried and may well buy to replace my Dom (both 510)) would be easier. I think it all comes down to the waves you want to surf it in and the feeling you like from the tail of a board.

So to answer you question if I could only have one: If I surfed hollower punchier waves more regularly I would be on the hellfire, however I surf a range of waves from soft and slopey to punchy and hollow and I think the UB has a much wider range especially in softer or smaller (under head high) waves.

I personally am looking for a snappier small wave board so am looking to sell my beloved Dom and replace it with a spit. However, in my head high wave board I love smooth lines and carves on rail so the UB wins. I have an alt for when it gets hollow or bigger so I'm covered. If you have a two board quiver though i believe the spit/hellfire combo will give you a better top end performance although there is not much in it.

thats a lot of good insight by everyone. im not sure to what degree of "step-up" is the case tho, only being that everyone has a different opinion of what a "set-up" is. if ur on a 6'10 SF, i imagine that at the moment ur surfing 3-4 overhead, slopey types of waves. how important is retaining the same volume and paddle vs performance and speed? to go from a 6'10 SF to a 6'6 SF is almost 10L whereas my 6'6 Q5 is 18 L less and wud b a huge difference in ride and wave range. if ur progression is to just go smaller, but like the ride of the SF and rnt really surfing anything hollow, u cud stick w Sf. if u dont mind less paddle and have to work more to stay on waves than the HF and Q5 wud b excellent boards.

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All of you have great insight and I appreciate you responding to my thread. After all the great advice I'm thinking HF would make the most sense. Just had a question regarding volume. My 610 SF has about 55ltrs volume and 610 HF has around 47. Would I be able to switch back and forth, depending on the waves, between the two with the drop in volume or will they ride too different? Or should I go bigger HF? As it is now my SF is too corky.

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Definitely drop down. I surf a 41.5 litre Dom and 37.3 litre Unibrow and the transition is fine. The extra volume works in the Dom because I use it in particularly small waves. I could probably do with a touch less though.

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I reckon if you're a bigger guy riding a longer UB that isn't over volumed it'd make a good bigger wave board. If you're a tall, light guy on a little 508 then it's not going to be so great when it's big.

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I think looking at the UB shape with the rounded tail it would make a sweet step-up. I see what Fokai is saying regarding what degree of step up.
I was assuming you were looking for a board for the DOH + range. Where I would always got rounded pin tail longer than my normal daily driver and have the float and paddle power to get onto the bigger waves we get in Thurso East.
I use a 602 alt RT which has 31 ltrs way more that my normal boards of 26 to 29. But its paddles like a 610 and still rides like a much shorter board. Its great for getting into big fat waves that bit earlier and still been maneuverable to pull in when she starts to throw out.
So you could keep the UB the same vol as your spit and it would work. But might feel a pig in more average waves if you intend to ride it in that type of surf.

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I really like my alt and is a another good step up two board quiver option. The Alt is an easy board to get on with its a thruster with very good manners. I loved my HF but with the porformance hy type there is always a compromise.
Quad versus thruster what fins do I run a nubster ect. Extra with in the tai with so on.
I over sized my alt as my big wave board a CBD at 601x 19x 2 1/4 would have been perfect. But the board paddles easily catches waves easer than the HF did and because of the narrower tail is easer to manover into critical sections. I would check it out as your second board. Even look at the CBD option.

Only surfed my UB a couple of times with the biggest being just overhead. So in short I can't say what it's top end would be. Definately agree with prj on length/weight. I feels like it would go well up to head and a half but I think the limit for me will then come when I want a narrower tail in hollowed or bigger surf. If it was a fairly average point I think it could happily surf DOH.
As for fins I've used the stretch quad in small stuff and pc5 quad when it was just oh. I loved both. Not tried it as a thruster yet but think my pc k3's are going to be the fin I try first.

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Gotta make it up there one day, it looks so fun when it's in the head high + range! I'd probably give it a miss on the 3 times overhead + and howling offshore days...

Mate if you are planing a trip sep oct is the best the water is a tutch warmer and we get big west swells. Just drop me a PM i can sort you out with a place to stay as long as i am not away offshore on the rig.